Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government
holds on this vehicle.
Owners have filed 42 safety complaints
about the 2017 Toyota Prius Prime with the US government. Of those, 5 describe a crash, 3 people were injured and no death is recorded. No recall campaign has been matched to this year, make and model.
The most complained-about system is visibility and the wipers,
named in 9 complaints, 21% of the total.
The typical failure was reported at 6,500 miles,
the median across the 19
complaints that gave
an odometer reading.
Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files
· Covers March 2017 to June 2026 · How this is counted
What is on file
42 complaints on file
42
Complaints
5
Describe a crash
0
Mention fire
3
People injured
0
Deaths
A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a
finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts
them.
No recall campaign was matched to this year, make and model. That is not
the same as a clean vehicle: recalls are issued against production
ranges, and the only reliable check is your own VIN.
Which system owners named
Complaints naming each system
VISIBILITY/WIPER 9 · 21%
9 21%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 7 · 17%
7 17%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 5 · 12%
5 12%
ENGINE 4 · 10%
4 10%
POWER TRAIN 4 · 10%
4 10%
SERVICE BRAKES 4 · 10%
4 10%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 3 · 7%
3 7%
SEATS 3 · 7%
3 7%
STRUCTURE 3 · 7%
3 7%
AIR BAGS 2 · 5%
2 5%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 2 · 5%
2 5%
STEERING 2 · 5%
2 5%
048
One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 42.
When the complaints arrived
By the year NHTSA received them
By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures
happened. They peaked in 2017 at 9.
This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure
happened. The range runs from 2017 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program
NHTSA has not crash tested the 2017 Toyota Prius Prime. Its New Car Assessment Program
tests a selection of each year's vehicles and does not reach
motorcycles, heavy trucks, motorhomes or most low-volume models, so
an absence here says nothing about how the vehicle would perform. It
is not a low score.
What owners have reported about this vehicle is below, and it is a
different question: a crash test measures what happens to the people
inside in a controlled impact, while a complaint records what broke
during ordinary use.
Defect investigations
1 on file
An investigation means NHTSA has decided a pattern is worth examining. A
preliminary evaluation is often closed with no action; an engineering
analysis is the stage that usually precedes a recall.
Pedestrian alert sounds
DP22005
Closed defect petition · opened January 27, 2023 · closed August 7, 2023 · led to recall 22V063000
the electrical system
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.
In owners’ own words
Quoted from the complaint file
Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the
people who filed them, not findings of fault.
AIR BAGS
1 injured · crash · towed · 70,000 miles
JUST FIVE MINUTES AFTER I LEFT THE HOUSE, I WAS DRIVING AT 15 MILES MPH ON A CURVED ROAD AND THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY LOST POWER. THIS INCLUDES BOTH THE ELECTRIC MOTOR AND THE GAS MOTOR. BOTH THE STEERING SYSTEM AND BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO BECOME TOO STIFF TO TURN AND THE BRAKES WERE NOT ABLE TO BE PRESSED DOWN NO MATTER HOW HARD I TRIED. THIS CAUSED THE CAR TO SWERVE OFF THE ROAD AND HIT A LIGHT POLE. NOT ONLY DID THE AUTOMATIC COLLISION PREVENTION SYSTEM FAILED TO WORK, THE AIRBAGS ALSO FAILED TO DEPLOY WITH THE AMOUNT OF IMPACT. THIS HAS CAUSED SEVERE DAMAGE TO MY CAR AND SEVERE INJURY TO MY BODY. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS WAS NOT THE FIRST TIME THE VEHICLE …
NHTSA complaint 11377239, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
SEATS
1 injured · crash
Driver side electric Seat rail malfunction after I was hit from the rear end collision. The seat electric adjustment became inoperable. The seat rail has a small gear in the electric seat that got destroyed during the rear end collision. Is the seat designed for damping, if so why does the driver side electric seat become inoperable?
NHTSA complaint 11530056. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
1 injured · crash
The contact owned a 2017 Toyota Prius Prime. The contact stated after the vehicle was in the park position and exiting, the vehicle accelerated on its own in reverse. The contact mentioned when she parked, the front tires pointed towards a curb which allowed her to get inside the vehicle and to depress the brake pedal. The vehicle continued accelerating, crashed into two trees on the front driver's side and front passenger side, jumped the curve, and crashed into a fence where the vehicle came to a stop. The contact mentioned that she was a professional driver for a living and assured that the failure was not a user error. A police report was not filed due to the incident occurring on her …
NHTSA complaint 11580732, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
AIR BAGS
crash · towed
I had to avoid an oncoming driver who lost control in a flash storm and ended up colliding with a telephone pole head on going 60mph. No safety devices activated at all, and Toyota refuses to admit it’s a problem.
NHTSA complaint 11529023. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ENGINE
90,000 miles
The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Prius Prime. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle started. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The contact used a portable diagnostic machine to diagnosed the vehicle; however, no fault codes displayed. The contact stated that the failure had not reoccurred. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not associated with a recall related to the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage …
NHTSA complaint 11747144, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ENGINE
In the 2017 Prius Prime when the car switches from Electric power to gas the car frequently fails to allow you to accelerate. It is like you are stuck in neutral on the freeway, taking your foot off of the acceleration pedal and pushing it down doesn't always fix the issue. The accelerator foot pedal can be completely down to the floorboard as you are losing speed. The safety issue is that you are losing speed, and on the freeway and the car doesn't recover losing some control. I have taken the car to the Toyota delearship and when taken in that say it is a software update, but this continues to happen. There is no real notification when this will occur as the battery milage switchover is …
NHTSA complaint 11724443, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I have a 2017 Toyota Prius Prime advanced. It has the large infotaiment screen that is where I have to access many items. Often, seemingly randomly, the screen shuts down and reboots itself. During the time it is rebooting I do not have any access to the controls. It gives no warning when it is going to reboot. I have seen other Toyota recalls for a similar problem on the RAV4 vehicles and I wonder if it is related.
NHTSA complaint 11705045. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The dealer sold original Toyota Truestart H4, 12 Volt battery failed after 2 years and 9 months. The battery is warranted for 84 months/7 years.
NHTSA complaint 11697127. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ENGINE
Toyota has a very well known issue with head gasket failures right around 140k miles that they refuse to address. This is my second Prius and my second failure right at 140k miles. They refuse to acknowledge it, but the advisors in the service department say that's their "bread and butter." They repair bad head gaskets on priuses for $5k all day long. Toyota needs to do right by their clients.
NHTSA complaint 11667467. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
STRUCTURE:BODY
Background Toyota has received reports of paint peeling on certain vehicles with the original factory-applied Blizzard Pearl or Super White paint colors. These reports indicate that vehicles with these specific paint colors, applied during the vehicle manufacturing process, may experience paint peeling on exterior metal body panels. Although the original factory paint is covered by Toyota’s New Vehicle Limited Warranty for 3 years or 36,000 miles (whichever comes first), we at Toyota care about the customers’ ownership experience. Toyota is providing coverage for repairs related to the condition described above. The following information is provided to inform you and your staff of the …
NHTSA complaint 11661243, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's
lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How
many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by
the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.
Complaints: NHTSA's ODI
complaint file, published October 2, 2026. One
complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.
Recalls: NHTSA's recall
campaign API, no campaign on file for this vehicle.
Investigations: NHTSA's ODI
investigation file, published October 2, 2026.
A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by
us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that
sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.
G
Compiled and maintained by guarledes Independent developer and analyst